


Never Knew I Needed

by IAmStoryteller



Category: Action Comics, Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin, Captain Marvel (DC Comics), Detective Comics - Fandom, Justice League, Nightwing - Fandom, Robin (Comics), Shazam (Comics), Teen Titans
Genre: Confession, F/F, F/M, Gen, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-21 09:43:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9541997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmStoryteller/pseuds/IAmStoryteller
Summary: Billy gets shanghaied into participating in a date auction for a charity by his boss, Mr. Morris; Damian gets jealous; and everyone else is amused.





	

**Author's Note:**

> ??? Yeah, enjoy.

“Please, Billy, my boy, please. It’s for a good cause. It’s for children,” pleaded the elderly President of WHIZ Media, Mr. Sterling Morris. Billy loved the old man, who was always a grandfatherly type person to him. Billy sighed. He was twenty-five years old—he was six feet tall, just an inch short of his height as Shazam/Captain Marvel. He was not as buff or bulky though as his superhero other-half, but he was not a weakling, far from it. He still worked as a blogger for WHIZ Media. He ran two blogs and had several writers under his command. But it was only a part-time thing for him.

Billy spent most of his time at Fawcett City Museum of Antiquities, where he worked as an assistant curator, or at Fawcett City University as an adjunct professor of Ancient History, while also working on his PhD dissertation. But WHIZ Media was like coming home for him, because without Mr. Morris’ kindness, there were times in Billy’s younger life when he would have gone hungry or had to sleep outside. (When Billy was still on the run from the foster care system, if Billy needed to sleep somewhere, Mr. Morris never questioned why Billy was in his office so early in the morning).

Of course the rest of his time was as a member of the Justice League and the World’s Superhero Community.

Mr. Morris knew Billy well-enough that Billy would do anything for children. “Of course, Mr. Morris, I’ll do it. Do you want me to invite anyone to the charity party, then?”

“You know the Wayne, Kane, and Queen families, am I right,” asked Mr. Morris. “See if any of them can come.” Mr. Morris never questioned how he knew the Wayne and Kane families of Gotham City or the Queen Family of Star City. Only recently was Billy able to explain away his relationships with the Wayne and Kane because he and Damian were good friends. Everyone knew that Damian attended the art program at Fawcett City University, so it made things easier. And since Bruce and Oliver knew each other, it was now not a stretch for Billy to know any of the Queen.

Billy smiled and nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. They just might just donate money to the charities and not come, though, if they’re busy.” Mr. Morris grinned.

-`-`-`

Mary giggled to herself as she watched the scene unfold before her. They were all preparing to head out to WHIZ Media Tower, where the gala was going to take place. Billy and Damian were arguing again. It was nothing new with them. Damian was insisting that Billy go with the red tie and Billy wanted to wear the black tie. Seriously, she mused to herself, do they not realize it is things like this that make Freddy, Jon, Maya, Colin and Darla (and all of Damian’s brothers and sisters) crack the ‘mom and dad are fighting again’ jokes about them. 

They were _like_ an actual couple, and sometimes, Mary swore that if she didn’t know better (because when Mary questioned, Billy insisted, _insisted_ , that he and Damian were not secretly dating), the two heroes gave that image of a loving couple heavily to everyone else. They really didn’t see it. Mary didn’t know how many times she had female acquaintances have interest in her brother only to see him interact with Damian and promptly give up.

“Billy, just give in, wear the damn red tie so we can go,” said the best friend of Damian, Jon White (who was actually Jon Lane Kent). Jon did love teasing his best friend about the unresolved sexual tension but Jon had a limit for their arguing over the inane. Jon knew that Billy would eventually give over to Damian’s way; in silly, simple matters, Billy usually caved to Damian’s whims.

Billy grumbled and grabbed the red tie out of Damian’s hand. Mary sighed as Billy fumbled with the matter of tying the tie. Mary used to be the one to do it—to be the one to fuss over Billy’s clothes (if they were messy and untidy)—to be the one that tied her brother’s tie when he had trouble—to be the only person that Billy let take care of him fully. Still, she made no move because Damian clicked his tongue in annoyance and tied the tie for Billy.

Mary was only a little jealous that Damian had her place to take care of Billy. She was only a little jealous, because it was nice to know that she wasn’t the only one that Billy completely and utterly trusted. Mary didn’t always have to worry about her brother when Damian was there.

“Let’s go, we don’t want to miss the appetizers. Mr. Morris always buys the best shrimp,” said Freddy, from her side. (He was right about the shrimp). She was only a little jealous about the whole Billy and Damian situation because she had Freddy by her side and it helped to know that Billy was also a little jealous over her and Freddy. Freddy and she had been dating on-and-off since they were in high school. They were always good friends, even if they weren’t dating. If Freddy was not going to get on with asking her to marry him by her next birthday (her and Billy’s 26th), she was going to ask him. 

Mary giggled to herself, again, when Billy ruffled Damian’s hair in thanks for help and eliciting a growl from Damian for messing up his hair. She got a shit-eating grin from her boyfriend, soft brown eyes twinkling with mischief.

“Oi, if you two are done flirting with each other, let’s get a move on before Jon super-speeds there and steals all the shrimp _again_ ,” said Freddy, with his perfect sarcastic drawl. He received two glares for his trouble from the men in question, but no comments back. It was going to be a fun night, thought Mary, as the group of young adults headed out the door.

-`-`-`-

Jon was really glad that Damian didn’t have any of Jon’s powers. Jon may have been two years younger than Damian, but lately Jon’s been feeling like he’s the older, wiser one. Maybe it’s just that Damian’s need to needlessly overprotect Jon finally stopped, for the most part…some days, Jon wanted to punch Damian just to knock it off. Jon knew that Damian had been preoccupied, because recently his best friend finally realized how he felt. “You know that cup never didn’t anything to you, Dami.”

Damian shot Jon a patented Bat-family glare, that Jon and every other Kryptonian were immune. “Shut up, Jon.” Jon grinned.

“You know,” said Jon, with a superior tone that he knew would piss Damian off, “if you just went over there, Billy would totally stop talking with that woman. I mean, you know he doesn’t know if a lady is flirting with him…” Damian’s attention was back on Billy. Billy was a handsome guy (Jon was secure enough in his own sexuality to admit it) and the female of the species flocked to the handsome, thoughtful young man that Billy had become over the years. Billy was politely listening to a woman that approached him while he was talking with his boss, Mr. Morris.

Damian’s grip on his cup of water tightened so much that Jon thought it was going to break. Jon gave an inaudible sigh.

Billy probably didn’t notice that the woman, pretty in the conventional, boring way but not stunning or beautiful or anything of the sort, was standing too close in Billy’s personal space. She had her hand on his arm, smiling brightly at whatever Billy said, and she definitely purposely leaned in a way that if Billy looked down, her cleavage would be _right there_.

“He doesn’t notice,” said Jon, this time, not teasing because Damian was kind of pathetic when dealing with actual feelings. “He never notices, you know that, Damian. Just go over there.” Jon resisted the urge to shove his stubborn best friend toward Billy, because if this was a room of superheroes he would, but no powers in public, he knew better.

“-Ttk,” went Damian and that was all he said.

Jon shook his head. It’s been a year since Damian was consciously aware of his feelings for Billy Batson, the hero Captain Marvel. And a year since Jon had been the victim of Damian asking weird questions about relationships and feelings and a year of watching Damian pine for someone who was totally into Damian, anyway! Damian couldn’t see it. He was still under the impression, Jon imagined, that he was unworthy of love. It was one of Damian’s major weaknesses—his inability to see any worth in himself as a human being, even if he hid it extremely well.

It was one of the things that Damian and Billy had in common, which is why Jon’s been suffering for _three freaking years_ of neither doing anything, god-damn anything, about their feelings for each other. They would be just so much _happier_ if they admitted that they were in love with each other and finally be _together-together_ instead of the weird friendship-that-obviously-isn’t-a-friendship thing that they had going on.

Jon decided that he was glad that he fell in love with Maya Ducard and not Damian Wayne, like he knew that his dad and Damian’s dad were kind of hoping. (It was weird that they low-keyed shipped him and Damian, right?) It’s hard enough to be Damian’s friend, only because Jon does most of the effort on the actual friendly and emotionally intimate level, especially now with the weird inquiries.

But Damian was the son of Batman, so Jon figured that it was going to be as good as he got with emotions and feelings.

-`-`-`

If you told him when he was ten that he would be living in Fawcett City, being a hero named Nightwing with a partner named Flamebird and allies with the Marvel Family, he probably would have killed you. He was twenty-two years old and he still couldn’t believe it. Choosing to become Nightwing, to follow in Dick’s path (for now), was a hard decision but one that his father and his brothers supported. Naturally, Jon being his best friend, Jon decided that he was going to be the new Flamebird.

Best decision yet about his superhero career.

But now, Damian wanted so much to go back to being the homicidal assassin he was when he was ten because that woman needed to get far, far away from his...from Billy. Billy, of course, was being polite and courteous. And it’s not like Damian had never seen Billy go out on dates and be interested in people, but now, it hurt his heart to see it.

Why did he have to go and fall in love with that guy?!

He seethed, ignoring the party around him and he watched carefully. He heard Jon’s sighs and the giggling from Mary and Darla. He could heard the wheels in Freddy’s head turning with wise-cracks about him and Billy. 

Patience was not his strong suit, though he was much better than when he was a boy. Patience was a virtue. Patience and calm.

_Ignore it, ignore it, ignore it…_

The more he tried to push down his feelings, the more they came back in full force. He was jealous, yes, but it was going to be okay, he told himself. Billy was one of his best friends; he wouldn’t get left behind.

-`-`-`-`

“You’re going to Fawcett City University,” asked Bruce, stunned, when Damian, age 18 and newly graduated from high school, handed all the paperwork to him. In Bruce’s office at the Manor, Bruce frowned. “I thought we talked about you going to Gotham University.”

His son stared at him, his usual blank look on his face. “Jon’s going to Fawcett.” Bruce felt something akin to loneliness creeping op in his heart. Damian was his youngest child and he was leaving. It was like this when Dick left, when Tim left. Of course, Damian wanted to be with his best friend over his old man. 

“I thought that he was going to Metropolis University,” said Bruce, frowning. He was pretty sure that was what Clark had told him.

Damian scoffed. “Fawcett’s biochemical engineering program is better than Metropolis or Gotham, so Jon’s going there. I can’t let Jon just go there by himself. He’s only sixteen and after all those stupid stories that Grayson, Drake, and Brown and Mary Elizabeth told me about college, there’s no way I’m letting him get sucked in only to fail because of stupidity.” Bruce sighed. Damian was protective of the people he cared about and Bruce knew that he, himself, was just as protective with Clark. (Tim was just as bad with Kon). (Because, geez, the Supers definitely needed to be protected).

“Fine, I suppose,” said Bruce, ignoring the feeling of missing his son when he left home. He looked at the papers his son gave him. “Art? You’re studying art?” Damian made a face where the skin around his nose crinkled and it was the face that Dick called Damian’s ‘grumpy cat’ face.

“Art and art history. They have a good program. I don’t need a business degree. I know how to run a business,” said Damian, defensively. Not that Damian ever showed interest in running Wayne Enterprises, it was unspoken that he would inherit everything of Bruce’s shares, except the ones left to the other kids. 

“Fine, fine, Damian, just promise that you’ll visit.” 

Damian nodded and left. Bruce looked over the things that Damian gave him. He called the Kent household. Jon broke the news to them as well. He spoke to Lois, who had to comfort Clark, because he was upset that Jon wanted to move away and be on his own. The boys must have planned it to be in sync. Sometimes, Damian and Jon’s efficiency as a team was very scary, far scarier than Clark and Bruce and far more effective than Kon and Tim. After he finished speaking with Lois, he hesitated for his next actions would be considered meddling and overprotective.

He pressed the button on his phone anyway. “Hey, Billy. Yes. I’m fine. Everything’s fine. Listen, I need a favor from you…”

-`-`-`-`

It started as a joke when Freddy called them ‘mom and dad’ (sometimes, Billy was the mom and Damian was the dad and sometimes, it was the other way around). Freddy knew that it wasn’t _that_ funny of a joke, but it was a running joke for the last three years. It never failed to get a rise out of Billy or Damian. Since he and the Marvel family basically took Jon, Damian, Maya, Suren, Maps, Colin and Nell into their tight-knit group, Freddy always knew that Billy was going to become everyone’s big brother. He was that type of guy. Even if Freddy was a year and a month older, Billy acted like Freddy’s big brother sometimes, not that he minded. 

What he didn’t expect was that Damian was just like Billy in that aspect of self-hatred. Damian cared shit about himself. Freddy knew that feeling well, but Damian liked to hide his big heart under seven feet of shit and snarkiness. Damian loved his friends and his family and would die for them (did die for them).

He also didn’t expect the way that his best friend in the whole world, the one person in the world that respected and loved whom never let him down, would fall hard for Damian Wayne. Billy was not someone that frivolously fell in love. Billy barely dated because he wanted to be able to cherish and love that person to the best of his ability. 

(You can’t really tell the girl or guy you were dating that you were an all-powerful superhero just so they would stay).

It barely took a year and the way that Billy treated Damian changed. Freddy noticed right away. So did Mary. At first, it was a subtle change, in all honesty. Billy’s hugs for Damian would last longer than anyone else’s. Lingering gazes when he thought no one was looking. Soft, real smiles that didn’t come out so often since Damian showed up in their lives on a more permanent basis. Yeah, it wasn’t obvious. At first. Mary and Freddy talked about it, often when it was just them and they were worried that Billy was going to get his heart broken.

Then, one day, Jon took Freddy out for burger and fries and Freddy knew that the younger man was bribing Freddy. Freddy knew a bribe when he saw it. Jon admitted that he knew that Billy was in love with Damian (but hadn’t realized it yet). Jon told Freddy that Billy’s heartbeat sped up when in close proximity to Damian.

Then, Jon admitted that Damian’s heartbeat sped up when Billy was near too.

Over time, they got more obvious with their affection and love for each other, but didn’t even realize it. It was actually pretty sickening. Being the best friend, Billy told Freddy when Billy realized his feelings for what they were.

(Jon and Freddy were in the same boat—both had two idiot best friends that were too scared, too insecure to make a damn move).

Three years of Billy being a complete dope and sap about Damian was enough for Freddy’s saintly patience. He saw the woman flirting with Billy. He saw the way that Damian was glowering at the woman.

He hobbled away from Mary’s side and went over to Billy just to save some poor woman from getting thrown out the window by an irate Nightwing. “Yo, Billy, ain’t it almost time for the auction? You need to get backstage.” Billy nodded and excused himself. The woman looked put out. Freddy couldn’t help it. “He’s not interested in you, trust me, I’m his best friend. He’s got someone already.” The woman’s face fell. Crisis averted.

It was not completely the truth but close enough, figured Freddy.

-`-`-`-`

“How do you know if you’re in love with someone,” asked newly twenty-one year old Damian to his oldest brother Dick. Damian was visiting Gotham. Dick was working a case for Spyral as Agent 34, but dragged Damian as Nightwing along with him to spend brotherly quality time together. Dick nearly tripped out of shock.

“Uh, just what,” replied Dick. Damian didn’t talk about things like love and romance with him (or Jason or Tim or heaven forbid, Bruce). “Are you serious?”

Damian clicked in tongue in annoyance. “Why would I ask if I wasn’t serious, _Agent 34?_ ” Dick knew that Damian was worried about something. He rarely snapped at him anymore. “Will you at least answer the question? I don’t want to have to resort to asking Red Hood, of all people, or worse, Red Robin.”

Dick snickered. Jason and Tim would be just as blindsided as him over Damian asking such things. “Well, I suppose. I think it’s different for everybody. Like when I realized that I was in love with my Batgirl. It was like I saw her and it hit me that ‘god, I love this woman.’ It wasn’t like I just fell in love with her then. I probably was in love with her for a long time before I realized it. Love isn’t instant like people think. Love comes from a series of interactions between two people over time.” He watched Damian’s face slackened a bit, before he regained his composure.

“I see.”

“Nightwing, wow that’s still weird calling you by my old name, are you in love with someone,” asked Dick, starting to grin. Damian didn’t respond, but Dick saw the tell-tale sign of Damian’s embarrassment—his ears were red. Dick felt like he was getting old now that his youngest sibling gone and fallen in love with someone. He hoped that it will work out for Damian and that person love Damian for everything. “Oooh, who is it, tell me!” Dick wanted to know the lucky person that Damian loved. (And if Dick thought that maybe he needed to check the person out, just to make sure that Damian would alright, it would be a big brother’s duty).

-`-`-`-`

Billy was definitely sure that he was a rather brave person. Yes, he did get afraid but he always pushed through his fear to do the right thing. However, there were two things that he feared most—a royally pissed off Justice League and now, every member of the Batfamily went they were on an overprotective-of-their-precious-little-Baby-Bat kick. 

Things started innocently enough. Billy was twenty-four and had known consciously that he had gone and fallen in love with Damian for good year and a half. He figured that he was doing well at hiding it. The first indication that something was wrong when Dick showed up as Agent 34 one evening while Billy was working on a new exhibit at the museum.

“Can I help you with something, Agent 34,” asked Billy. Dick shook his head.

“You hurt my brother, I will take you down,” said Dick, with a smile on his face. Billy gave a puzzled look and then realized that somehow Dick knew about his feelings for Damian. Before Billy could even answer, Dick was gone (like Batman).

A week later, Billy was walking to one of his classes when he was suddenly lifted in the air, tied up. When he saw the smirking faces of Red Hood and Red Robin, in the middle of the day, staring down at him. “What the flying fuck, guys?”

“Just know, Batson, that we know everything about you,” said Red Robin, very cryptically.

Red Hood snorted. “And we were trained by Batman to take down metas, remember that too.”

Billy was disturbed that they also knew about the state of things, but Dick probably told them. He understood where they were coming from, he was a big brother too. 

The Batladies were more frightening that the might of Dick, Tim and Jason (and Duke Thomas, who was pretty polite about his threats). He endured pointed looks from Orphan (Cassandra), heavy-handed comments from Spoiler (Stephanie), vaguely threatening comments about complete destruction of everything in his life by Bluebird and Batgirl (Harper and Barbara). Even the normally cheerful Hawkfire (Bette) left tennis rackets in the weirdest spots and when he saw an old match after he decided to look up Bette Kane’s tennis, he was very worried about his life.

The kicker was when Batwoman was teaming up with the Justice League when Starro managed to find his way back to their planet. Batwoman, who Billy understood, was very similar to Bruce in many respects, but also much more violent. Bette being fond of Damian, because he was once Robin and still a kid to her, was one thing. But Billy didn’t think that Batwoman and Damian were any kind of close.

Batwoman purposely teamed up with him while investigating one part of the city. They were a strange sight for anyone that saw them—him, dressed in his red, white and gold outfit and Batwoman in her black and blood red uniform. She was quiet the whole time.

Once the whole situation had been diffused, Batwoman looked straight at him and hissed quietly. “The others won’t actually kill you. But _I will._ ”

The fuck is his life, right now.

Then, Damian found out because Billy stupidly told Freddy (God, why did he tell his best friend anything if he wasn’t going to keep his mouth shut?!) and Freddy told everyone. Damian was furious at his family for bothering Billy. Damian didn’t need to know why they were being overprotective.

The next Justice League meeting at the Watchtower, Batman approached him. “They’re sorry,” said Batman, wincing. It was surprising that Bruce hadn’t been leading the charge to threaten him if Damian was compromised emotionally. “Damian’s important to us. We’ve been trying to be a better family lately and they got all misunderstood about you two.”

Billy laughed. “Damian tore them a new one, huh?”

Batman snorted. “He was very furious with them.”

“Bruce, you do know that I don’t have any intention of hurting him, ever, you know that right?”

“I know, Billy.”

“I really do love him so much that I wouldn’t, _couldn’t._ ”

Batman froze for a second and coughed. “Right.”

-`-`-`

Once Billy left the Watchtower, Bruce was on the phone with Dick. “I thought you said that Damian was in love with Billy, Dick?”

 _“Yeah, after two days of non-stop begging, I got it out of Damian who he had fallen in love with, with Billy,”_ replied the voice of his oldest son. _“Did you apologize for us?”_

“Yes, but that’s beside the point, Dick. Why didn’t you tell me that Billy was in love with Damian back?! You lot threatened Billy for nothing.”

_“WHAT?!”_

-`-`-`-`

(It was Jon that cleared up the confusion. The Batfamily was just surprised and slightly amused that the two were in love with each other and didn’t do anything about it).

(And if Dick and the rest thought that meddling was a good idea, it was their duty as older siblings).

-`-`-`-`

Billy fidgeted as he stood in line with the other men and woman (that were all employees of WHIZ Media, Mr. Morris shanghaied them all too). They were called one-by-one to the stage to have a date with them auctioned off. Billy felt a slight suspicion when he was last in line. He hated wearing tuxes and ties. God, did he hate ties. 

Well, he did when he realized that Damian knew how to tie a tie perfectly and didn’t mind helping Billy with it. (Because Barry of all people taught Billy how to tie a tie, so he knew but pretended he didn’t). He liked when Damian fussed over him. It might have been selfish, but he liked the attention that Damian gave him.

He heard the dates be auctioned off for a couple hundred to a thousand dollars, which would all go to the March of Dimes. He really didn’t want to go on a date with a stranger, because it made him feel awkward. If he was being honest, he felt kind of like he was betraying Damian. He hadn’t dated since he realized his feelings for the younger man. Billy sighed. 

Finally, his name was called. When the announcer, Cissie Summerly, a friend of his, listed all of Billy’s accomplishments and qualities, his face turned red. While he was used to compliments as Captain Marvel/Shazam, Billy himself wasn’t too comfortable with it.

Then the bidding start.

-`-`-`-`

Damian didn’t really watch the other people on stage, but his attention was there when Billy was standing up there, looking awkwardly into the crowd, whole face flaming red. Damian hid a smile. Billy was so cute sometimes. Naturally, the bidding started at a measly hundred dollars. It was mostly women bidding at Billy but several men were trying their hand too.

“1000 dollars,” said the same woman that had been flirting with Billy earlier. Damian’s eyes narrowed into a glare. It was a high price for a lot of people, but some hesitantly continued. But then, she said, “2000 dollars.”

Damian was known for having poor impulse control when his patience snapped. And oh, did it snap at that point.

-`-`-`-`

Maps and Darla traded looks at each other. Damian’s grip was white and his jaw was tight in annoyance and anger. Maps and Damian were very close friends and she knew when he was about to do something incredibly stupid for someone so smart. Maps should have seen this coming.

Damian hadn’t liked it _before_ he realized his feelings for Billy when Billy went out on dates (even if the former Robin played it off as nothing), but he never got _this_ mad before. Maps cringed internally. This was about as bad as the time that she roped Tim into asking Olive on a date, sending her beloved older brother Kyle into a tailspin of jealousy and rage.

Everyone, _everyone_ , knew that those two were in love with each other, except they were both men and completely and utterly stupid about it.

Maps only sighed when Damian’s voice broke through and he said, “3000 dollars.” Thankfully, Darla took a picture of Billy’s face when he heard Damian’s voice. Perfect blackmail material. 

-`-`-`-`-

Jon and Freddy were dying with laughter at the situation, so much so that Mary had to drag them away from the two knives that Damian pulled out of _somewhere_ and threateningly aimed at them _without missing a beat, while calmly (too calmly) bidding on her brother._ Maps and Darla were trading worried looks. Eugene just sighed, annoyed. Pedro looked rightly pleased at the whole situation.

Mary knew that Damian, determined young man that he was, was not going to give up this battle. Billy's face was going to explode at how red it became as the bidding went into the _ten thousands_. She tried but couldn’t contain her own laughter at the seriously ridiculous situation that her brother always managed to find himself in.

-`-`-`-` 

“15,000 dollars,” said the woman, voice wavering, because it was getting a bit high for her liking. But that Wayne was not going beat her. His father definitely gave him a cap on allowance, so she was going to win a date with the handsome blue eyed-black haired god of a man. 

“25,000 dollars,” said Damian Wayne, not faltering with jumping ten thousand dollars over her price. Too rich for her blood. Fucking old money brat. 

-`-`-`-` 

It was no surprise that Damian had just won the bidding war to go on a date with Billy Batson. Damian snapped out of his jealous-rage stupor when he handed over his bank card to the representative from March of Dimes. He now had two problems—how was he going to explain to his Father (and his Father’s poor, beleaguered accountant) the 25,000 dollar donation to the charity and holy crap, he just bought a date with the love of his life, who also one of his best friends and superhero allies. 

_What in the name of seven hells did he just do?_

-`-`-`-` 

Jon and Damian were roommates by choice. It was easier to dorm than to live at an apartment in outside of the college grounds. Bruce, Clark and Lois just finished helping them bring all their things that they would need to the room. The three adults stepped out to pick up lunch for them all, when they received a knock at their room door. 

Jon gave a confused look at Damian, who shrugged. He answered it. “Billy!” 

“Batson,” said Damian, at the sight of the twenty-one year old Justice League member. Jon and Damian both had forgot that they were now in Marvel Family territory and that Billy and his foster siblings all attended this University too. 

“Hey, guys. It looks like I just missed Bruce, Clark and Lois,” said Billy, giving them a lopsided grin. 

“What do you want,” asked Damian. 

Jon rolled his eyes. “Geez, Dami, way to be rude.” Damian glared at his best friend. 

Billy just chuckled. “Don’t worry, he’s not as bad as Bruce. Anyway, Freddy and I live on the fifth floor, room 506, and Pedro and Eugene live in room 507. If you guys ever need anything, you know? By the way, look out for your dorm advisor, he can be pretty rough on freshmen, so make sure you follow the rules, you know for the most part.” 

Jon grinned. “Thanks, Billy. Maybe we all can hang out when we have the time. Damian’s friend Maps also attends. It’s too bad that Nell and Colin both decided to stay in Gotham…” 

“Oh, I think Darla and Maps met already,” said Billy, still grinning at the two younger men. “Mary already thinks they have BFFs status. So, just behave. I know you two like to get into tons of trouble. I’m surprised Clark and Bruce don’t have gray hair yet.” 

“We don’t get into trouble,” said Jon, as innocently as he could. 

“Trouble finds us,” said Damian. Billy laughed. 

-`-`-`- 

He would have made back to the dorms in time for curfew had he not found a kitten, abandoned by its mother. He was on his way home from patrol (as Nightwing, now), after stopping at his safe-house to change into civilian clothes, which was always cut short on the weekdays. And even though Fawcett looked harmless enough in comparison to other cities, it was actually just as bad as Metropolis at nighttime, at least. 

Damian, in good conscious, was not going to leave the little creature to die. It was a gray and black (with some white) striped kitten. It wasn’t hurt, which was a good thing. It was adorable and Alfred the Cat would definitely like some company in form of another cat (he was getting bored with having Titus chase him around, and bored of chasing Jerry the Turkey around and annoyed with the nonchalance of Batcow and still afraid of Goliath after all this time). 

The problem was that the dorms didn’t allow any animals, at all. Not snakes, or turtles, and not dogs or cats either. He was at the end of his freshman year at college. Jon would help him hide the cat until Damian could get it safely to Gotham. 

But his asshole RA (Resident Advisor) naturally decided to lock the door to the freshmen floors and Damian was hiding a kitten in the sleeve of his Red Hood-hoodie, thanking the gods and God that the kitten was too small to make any noise. Damian technically had three minutes until curfew but this guy, known as the Tyrant by almost everyone in this dorm, refused to let Damian inside. He was standing in front of the entrance to the Freshmen Floor 1 like a guard. 

Damian didn’t understand it. Damian and Jon had been on their best behavior this years and stayed out of the RA’s way like Batson had suggested. If he didn’t have the kitten hiding in his pocket, he would have just sneaked back in by scaling the dorm. But there was no way in hell that he was doing so with an innocent kitten. 

He knew at this hour that Jon was passed out and basically impossible to rouse from a dead sleep. Well, Damian could always knock out the piss-ass RA and end this ridiculous glaring contest he was having with the older man. 

“Let him up, Christ, Jeff, don’t be such as asshole,” said Billy. He just stepped out of the communal kitchen, a small milk carton and a sandwich in his hands. “He wasn’t late and you know it.” 

Jeff the Tyrant turned his nasty face and his glare on Billy. “Stay out of it, Batson.” 

“Not likely. I don’t want to have to report you again for being, well, you,” said Billy, steadily. The RA was in the same year as Billy. Damian watched as Billy, who was being super awesome at the moment, stare down the idiot. 

“You are such a bleeding heart, Batson,” snarled the RA. 

“He’s my friend, so stop picking on him,” said Billy, sighing. “Unless, of course, that’s why you are giving him such a hard time because he is my friend, then well, we are going to have a problem. A big problem.” 

“No, he’s not going in there, he was late.” 

Billy shrugged. “Fine. C’mon, Damian, you can stay with me and Freddy tonight.” Damian knew that Billy would just let Damian sneak back to his room the moment that he could. 

“Wait, you can’t do that.” 

Billy raised an eyebrow. “Um, news flash, Moreno, only freshmen have curfew and there’s no rules that state that he can’t reasonably stay with me tonight because some ass-hat won’t let him in his room when he was technically not late.” The RA refused to relent to let Damian go to his room, so Damian glared at the older man one last time and followed Billy up to the fifth floor. 

When they reached Billy and Freddy’s room, Freddy was out cold on his bed, so there were no objections from him. “Thanks, Batson.” 

“You’re welcome,” replied Billy, and then with a wide, amused grin, he asked, “So, you’ve got a kitten in your pocket don’t you?” 

Damian could only hope that the blush wasn’t too evident on his face or his ears, which usually gave it away that he was embarrassed. His siblings and his father knew about his tendency to pick up strays, only, but somehow Billy guessed. That night, Billy helped Damian set up a little bed for the kitten and the milk was for the kitten. 

The next day, Damian called Red Hood to come and take his new cat back to Gotham. Damian named him Barron. And Alfred the Cat was pleased that he had a little thing to take care of and boss around. 

-`-`-`-` 

Damian was in the middle of reorganizing his art portfolio when the annoying song “Call Me Maybe” started playing (talk about an ear-worm song, Damian almost stabbed three of his brothers, guess which three, when for three weeks straight they burst out, _in the middle of patrol no less_ , singing the song). Damian grunted. Billy left his phone in Damian and Jon’s room (now on the third floor, for sophomores) again. Damian and Jon joked that Billy was going senile in his old age. Billy called to a Justice League emergency, something about Vandal Savage. 

Billy was the type of person to have a song for each person in his contacts list, so Damian knew that it was Mary calling. 

So, naturally, he answered it. But, before he could get out a quip about girl-Batson (what Damian called Mary) being like Billy’s girlfriend, the tone of Mary’s voice when she said her brother’s name stunned him. 

“Batson left his phone at my room,” said Damian, “What’s wrong?” Mary was a strong young woman. He admired her strength of character, but not out-loud. If Billy couldn’t handle something, Mary inevitably could. Mary’s voice was steady, but he knew her long enough to know when she was worried or scared. She was a little bit of both. 

_“Damian, ugh, it’s just I really need Billy…”_ Damian’s eyes narrowed when he heard a couple of scared female squeals and some banging, well a lot of banging. 

_**“Mary,”**_ said Damian in a tone of no-nonsense. “What’s wrong?” 

The words come out of Mary’s mouth in a rush and almost whisper. _“There are some guys that charged the sorority house and they have some bats and I had to lock me and the girls in the basement, but I can’t get away to, you know, they are so scared, Darcy’s having a panic attack and I think that Tasha needs her inhaler and they are trying to get in, I can maybe take one or two down…”_ Damian was already putting on his shoes as she spoke and rushing out of his dorm room as she spoke. Mary would have easily dispatched them if she was able to say the magic word, but as she was, she was right to assess her skills. She was not a fighter at heart. 

“Hold tight, I’ll be there in a couple of minutes. You got the door barricaded, right?” 

_“Yes.”_

“Good. Stay on the phone. Tell me what’s happening.” 

-`-`-`-` 

Billy reached the sorority house on Fawcett City University grounds in record time once he heard something was going on there. He had been called away to help in Bialya because of a terrorist attack and naturally left his phone at Damian and Jon’s room. When he got back to the Watchtower, J’onn was already setting up a zeta beam to Fawcett because Damian called the Watchtower to tell whoever was on duty to get Billy there as soon as possible. 

There were a couple of police cars outside the house, and the university security there. Billy didn’t know what was going on and his stomach dropped. He hopped the fence (university security knew who he was, so no one stopped him) and rushed inside. Mary and her sorority sisters were sitting in the living room, all unscathed, and drinking cups of tea. 

Freddy, Eugene, Pedro, Darla, Jon and Maps were all there too. They were all patting the young women, who all but Mary, looked stricken. 

“What the hell happened,” demanded Billy. Mary shot out of her seat, causing Freddy who had been cuddling her to get unbalanced, and leapt into her brother’s arms. 

“Everything’s fine, Billy,” said Mary, pressing her face into his shoulder. “You need to stop forgetting your phone.” Billy nervously laughed. He was never forgetting his phone again. 

“I’m glad you are all okay,” said Billy, sighing. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t there.” 

“It’s okay. Damian came,” said Mary, like it was the most normal thing ever. Then out of the kitchen came the nearly twenty year old Nightwing, Damian (who was wearing his Red Robin hoodie, jeans, and his sneakers) and two police officers. The policemen shook Damian’s hand. They left but not before telling the women to call the police sooner next time. 

Billy untangled himself from his sister. He grabbed Damian into a bone-crushing bear hug. Billy didn’t normally hug the former Robin, because the young man was not okay with too much affection (Billy blames Bruce for this because Damian was a huggable person). “Thank you, thank you, Damian." 

Awkwardly, making Billy smile, Damian hugged him back only briefly. “You’re welcome. Now, get off.” Billy released Damian from his hug, only for Damian to get hugged by Mary. “Gah! Girl-Batson, not again. I told you already that you don’t need to keep thanking me with hugs.” 

Billy smiled at the slightly pleased look at Damian’s face at the hug and the way that he wasn’t pushing her away. He was embarrassed that everyone was making a big deal out of it. Damian did rescue people for a living. 

Apparently what had happened was that Mary and her sorority sisters kept rejecting invitations to fraternity house parties and one of the sisters may or may have insulted one of the frat brothers. Some alcohol and some egging on later, four of the frat brothers were breaking into the sorority house. Mary was not easily frazzled and her need to protect her friends was high, so she managed to get them in the basement for safety. She was going to go back out, sneakily transform and take care of the problem when one of the younger girls (a seventeen year old freshmen) latched onto her crying, so she couldn’t very well leave. 

Billy was just grateful that Mary pushed down the pride she had as a hero to ask Damian for help (or more like tell Damian vaguely that she needed help). Billy, of course, knew that if something was truly wrong Damian would be there in a heartbeat, because despite his prickliness and arrogance, Damian Wayne had a heart of gold, just buried under five feet of crap. 

-`-`-`-` 

(“How did you know that you loved him, kiddo,” asked Dick, once he got the name of the person that Damian fell in love with, after much prodding and begging on Dick’s part. Damian shrugged. “Was it like I described? Like you were probably in love with him for a long time now and you just realized it at a particular moment?” 

“Yes.”) 

-`-`-`-` 

It was rare these days that they were all able to spend a nice and peaceful day together. Mary, Freddy, and Eugene were busy teaching. Pedro was off writing retreats working on his novel. Darla and Maps were spending a lot of time alone together, since they started dating because they got embarrassed when there was light-hearted teasing. In addition, Darla, Maps, Jon and Damian were all in their last year of undergraduate work. 

Billy was almost done with his master thesis (it took him a big longer because of his superhero duties, which increased as a lot of the older heroes had to retire for one reason or another). It was a warm spring afternoon and after much planning and pleading on the part of Darla and Mary, they all managed to get together. Maya, Suren, Nell and Colin all joined them. They were in Liberty Bulletman and Bulletgirl Park, naturally, having a picnic. 

The ladies of the group were together, talking about Nell’s new Batgirl uniform—Darla thought it was pretty, but Maya argued less glam and more usefulness. Eugene and Jon were talking about the latest STAR Lab tech verses LexCorp. Pedro was talking with Colin and Suren about the latter two’s adventures. It was not surprising that Damian’s second friend Colin (Dick being his first) and Damian’s newly adopted brother of sorts Suren got along well, especially since Suren returned from soul-searching at Nanda Parbat (it was liberated from League of Assassins control when Damian was fourteen) in Tibet. Freddy was stuffing his face and quipping comments as necessary. 

Damian and Billy were in the middle of a heated argument over the reign of Marcus Aurelius (2nd century CE), which was nothing new, because as Freddy commented, will be make two cranky elderly professors one day or rather, 

“The two dads are arguing over history again,” snorted Freddy, stealing Mary’s piece of cheesecake. “How cute.” Freddy got two heated glares from Billy and Damian, interrupting their argument for a moment, for his commentary. 

Of course because this is their lives and nothing can ever be easy for the group of heroes to have a lazy Sunday off from all the trouble in the world from supervillains to humanity’s own stupidity, they had unwanted guests to their picnic. 

“Look it, it’s the unwanted Vasquez orphans.” 

At the voice, said group of young adults groaned in irritation, except Billy who stopped mid-sentence and went defensive immediately. Damian’s eyes narrowed. Colin, Nell, Suren and Maya, who all were orphans too, sent vicious glares. Jon was frowning and that was never a good thing, Damian should know for he’s been on the receiving end of his punches and heat-vision blasts. 

“Look it Butthead Jr. and Butthead Baby,” said Freddy, in a drawling condescending way. 

“Oh, you still think your funny, Freeman,” said the person that Freddy dubbed Butthead Jr. “My dad says that you can’t walk right that you compensate with lame joking.” 

Freddy’s eyes flashed with something like anger. “Butthead Sr. would know about compensating for something, now wouldn’t he?” Damian watched and waited because if one of these assholes, whomever they thought they were, did something, anything, violent towards any of his friends, they were going to be very, very sorry. 

It was, however, a surprise when Billy stood up and walked over to stand between the two assholes and Freddy. “Batson, I see you’re still fighting Freeman’s fights for him.” 

“Bjorn, Buckley, your brother would be very disappointed in you,” said Billy, with calm, collected voice. Damian knew that was when Billy was at his most dangerous. “Brian’s off fighting in war for you to have your freedom and this is what you do with it.” Damian was up once he saw the fist coming for Billy’s face. Naturally, he needn’t worry because even though the one brother took a swing at Billy, he missed and if left him an opening for Billy punch him and knock him to the ground in one fell-swoop. 

However, Damian was on the other brother so he didn’t interfere and attack Billy while he was distracted. 

“Leave. We don’t ever bother you assholes, but for some reason, you can’t just leave us alone. You were bullies in high school and you’re bullies now. You should be ashamed,” scolded Billy. He let the fatter young man up. The now-bloodied face man grabbed his brother, and they fled. After a few minutes, Billy looked directly at Damian. “Thanks for having my back.” Billy was still angry, his blue eyes dark, Damian thought that he looked cool. 

“Of course, William, always,” said Damian, simply, his heart beating fast at the look on Billy’s face. Because so what if when Billy looked at him, his heart raced? So what if seeing Billy the protector always made Damian feel invincible? So what if he loved Billy Batson with his everything? 

“I need to walk, come with me,” asked Billy. Damian nodded. “We’ll be right back, guys.” 

As Damian fell in step with Billy as they walked away from their friends, Damian couldn’t bring himself to look at Billy with his new found realization. He also resisted to urge to hold Billy’s hand. It was going to be a long walk for him. 

-`-`-`-` 

(“You sure about this, man? I mean, yeah, he’s pretty good looking for an arrogant asswipe…” 

“Freddy…” 

“But, you know, how do you know that you love Damian? Of all people, you sure that you are in love, like the soulmate-forever-more kind of love with him?” 

“I just know.”) 

-`-`-`-` 

“I didn’t take you for a delinquent, William,” said Damian, as they sneaked into Fawcett City zoo early one morning. Billy snorted. 

“I was once, you know,” replied the Big Red Cheese. Damian was still in his Nightwing gear, and Billy was simply a civilian. It wasn’t like it was hard to break into a zoo. “Anyway, I want you to meet my friend.” Billy knew that Damian was completely annoyed because he should be headed home to sleep. Billy, himself, should be sleeping but he was in the middle of the third chapter of his master’s thesis when he started thinking about his parents and gotten all screwed up about it. 

They eventually reached the tiger cages. A very large tiger was sleeping peacefully, heard the approach of the two young men. The tiger got up and stretched, yawning. Billy smiled. Tawky was getting up their years now, but he was always ready when Billy visited. Like does, Billy reached his hand into the cage. 

He was almost surprised when Damian grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. “Are you insane?” 

Billy gave Damian a grin. “Tawky is mostly harmless. He won’t bite me. Besides, you are one to talk about interacting with dangerous animals when you have _Goliath_.” Damian clicked his tongue in annoyance, but let go of Billy’s wrist. Billy reached out and as always, Tawky sniffed his hand, then licked it. “Hey, buddy. I’ve got a new friend for you to meet. He’s Nightwing. He loves animals, so be nice.” Billy pulled out Wendy’s bag, and took out the hamburger out of the wrapping. He, naturally, took off the pickles. He tore it in half and handed one-half to Damian. 

Damian stared at it. Sighing, Damian fed the large tiger. Billy smiled when Tawky was no longer looking at Damian warily. Tawky licked Damian’s gauntleted hand. There it was, Billy thought to himself, the smile that Damian always got when dealing with animals. Billy angled himself to get a better look at Damian’s face. Damian was cooing at Tawky at this point, completely forgetting that he scolded Billy for getting too close to the tiger’s mouth. 

Billy grinned. Damian was damned amazing. He had such a big heart, but always thought so poorly of himself as a person. He knew he was staring and at this point, it was massively inappropriate. He loved Damian’s happy face, loved his smile. He was in love with Damian, he realized, blush rising to his cheeks. Don’t think about that now, he told himself. Worry about it tomorrow, he supposed. 

“He’s a magnificent creature, William. He’s getting old, though,” said Damian. 

“Yeah, he was a cub when I first came here with my parents and Mary. I just wish that he didn’t have live in the zoo.” 

-`-`-`-` 

(When Bruce got a panicked call from his accountant, Bruce just sighed in annoyance. Damian would do something like this, buy a tiger from a zoo. He had a full menagerie at this point with Titus, the two cats, Batcow, Goliath, Jerry, and now Tawky Tawny the Tiger). 

(Alfred just sighed along with Master Bruce. Damian’s attempted courting of Billy Batson was something that Alfred fully expected a long time ago, unlike everyone else (who’s the detective in this family, now?) when the old butler saw the way that the two young men treated each other. This was about as bad as the time that Thomas Wayne bought Martha an entire vineyard because she liked a particular wine so much. Martha was annoyed for weeks at Thomas). 

-`-`-`-` 

The auction was over, but the party was still going on, so as soon as he could, Billy broke away from any attention and hunted out the attention of the love of his life. Luckily he caught Damian hiding in one of the offices. He looked a little distressed over probably spending so much money on rescuing him from a date with a stranger. 

Billy didn’t really know what to say. But he know what he had to say, it was now or never. “So, you know, uh, maybe after the date that you won for me, do you maybe want to go on another one?” Damian stared at him, his blue-green eyes staring at him. Billy suddenly felt self-conscious of the fact that he just asked Damian on more than one date. 

“What,” Damian asked, clearly confused. He stood up from the floor and Damian (cutely) avoided his eyes. 

“It’s just I really like spending time with you, no matter what we do, even its watching documentaries, or patrol, or eating meals, taking walks in the park, or training, or arguing over philosophies and battle tactics, so even if you hadn’t won the date, I want to date you,” blurted out Billy, face heating up faster than when he was standing on the stage. As he spoke he stood in front of Damian and looked him directly in the eyes and spoke with all the courage and the love he had for Damian. “I’m in love with you, Damian. I love you.” 

Damian blinked once, thinking probably. Then, he must have registered what Billy had said because Damian grabbed a fistful of Billy’s tie, yanking him down to his height and kissing him. 

Billy’s smile would have lit up the entire world when Damian responded, blushing, “I’m in love with you, too, William. Let’s get out of here, I think we need to talk more.” This time, Billy was able to hold Damian’s hand while they walked side-by-side. 

-`-`-`-` 

Mr. Morris got a call from security that Billy was leaving with Damian Wayne and they were holding hands. A smile broke out on the face of the elderly businessman. He took out his cell phone. 

He texted _“Bruce, you are a genius. It worked. They are definitely together now.”_

Several moments later, Mr. Morris got a response from Bruce Wayne. _“Thank you, Sterling. If it was up to them, they’d never get together. I’m glad that this little ploy worked and I don’t have to go to my backup plan.”_

Mr. Morris laughed. _“Lock them in a room until they caved was your backup plan?”_

_“Something like that…?”_

**Author's Note:**

> As of now, JonDami is my BrOTP (out of all of Damian's non-family people, DickDami is THE BROTP FOREVER). I still like BillyDami more, probably because I'm literally one of the only people that writes it.


End file.
